KROONSTAD, South Africa, Aug 5 (Reuters) - A South African
village has become the first in the world to be powered by fuel
cells, companies behind the project said on Tuesday, in a new
scheme which could help remote areas of the continent access
electricity for the first time.

South Africa suffers from power shortages and state-run
utility Eskom is struggling to keep up with rising electricity
demand, while around 2 million poorer households live without
any access to the grid.

"What we have here is a world first," said Chris Griffith,
chief executive of Anglo American Platinum, which is
partnering with Canadian-listed Ballard Power Systems
in piloting the project.

"Fuel cell mini-grid technology is a cost-competitive
alternative to grid electrification in these remote areas and
could accelerate access to electricity," Amplats said.

Amplats is investing around $20 million in the "mini-grid",
which will function independently from the national grid.
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